Chinese peacekeepers shine in Congo (K)

The picture shows that Chinese peacekeepers pose for a group photo with local people after repairing a malfunctioned water supply system. The 19th Chinese peacekeeping engineer detachment to Congo (K) always helps local people solve practical difficulties. For example, a number of water supply spots have been set up in the neighborhood of its campsite to solve local people’s clean water supply problem. (Chinamil/Li Zike)

BEIJING, Oct.9 (ChinaMil) -- The 19th Chinese peacekeeping engineer detachment to Congo (K) came back to China on September 29 after successfully accomplishing its one-year-long peacekeeping missions in Congo (K).

Liu Wei, commanding officer of the 19th Chinese peacekeeping engineer detachment to Congo (K), introduced that in the past one-year period, the detachment has successively completed 41 engineering surveys, 31 engineering constructions and 3 geological disaster rescue tasks, repaired roads totaling 72.6 kilometers, finished land-leveling of 32,000 square meters and repaired 31 culverts and bridges. Among the six engineer detachments in the mission area, the Chinese peacekeeping engineer detachment is the only detachment with the full excellent engineering completion achievements, without any suspension due to its own reasons, according to an assessment of the Military Engineering Department of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).

Stationed in a place with lakes and swamps, it was necessary to build a swimming pool for Chinese peacekeepers to practice their swimming skill, so as to better deal with the frequent flooding situation when performing construction and guard missions.

Facing with the material shortage situation, the Chinese peacekeepers built a swimming pool by fully utilizing the existing equipment to cut and reorganize the idle containers. Through the swimming training in the swimming pool, 95 percent of the Chinese peacekeepers have passed the breast stroke test.

The swimming pool also becomes a landscape at the campsite of the Chinese peacekeeping detachment. During weekends and holidays, UN peacekeepers stationed in the nearby areas would like to come to swim and have a rest.

“It is worthwhile for us to learn from Chinese engineers’ self-reliance spirit,” said the commanding officer of the Indonesian peacekeeping engineer detachment. To tackle unexpected events, the Chinese detachment also periodically conducts joint defense drills with the Uruguay river company.

It has also effectively upgraded its security and defense capabilities through methods including building shelters against the strike of firearms with curved trajectory, constructing sentry towers, reinforcing bullet-proof facilities, adding snake belly-type barbed wires and using remote controlled aircraft to expand its reconnaissance range in the neighborhood of its campsite. In addition, members of the 19th Chinese peacekeeping engineer detachment also carried out 14 humanitarian rescues including rescuing the drowning local people and those in vehicle-cartwheel accidents, doing site-leveling work with an area of over 2,000 square meters for local residents, holding assistance activities for Uvira Primary School, Kalehe Primary School and Bukavu University, voluntarily connecting the lighting power supply for its neighboring local residents and repairing loving-care water supply spots.

“Chinese peacekeepers are the messengers of friendship and peace,” said Marcelin Chishambo Ruhoya, governor of South Kivu province of Congo (K). “On behalf of all the people in South Kivu province, I would like to express gratitude to your selfless assistance,” he said to the Chinese peacekeepers.